Garmet-hanging rack for motor vehicles

ABSTRACT

A clothes-hanging rack for motor vehicles is provided which hugs the car ceiling, and is neat, inexpensive, inconspicuous and completely out of the way when not in use. The hanger includes a tough hollow frame or housing and a series of distinct hangersupporting fingers, normally contained, and individually retained, within the housing. Each finger is bendable under the weight of a garment hanger, and the garment carried thereby, and each has its own assigned position so that the hangers do not slide from side to side as the car rounds curves. The frame stands as an upholstery guard between the finger-supported hangers and the ceiling upholstery, as well as a housing and support for the fingers.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Mamie M. Wlllett 808 E. Queen, Albany, Oreg. 97321 [21] App]. No. 815,604 [22] Filed Apr. 14, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 3, 1971 [54] GARMET-HANGING RACK FOR MOTOR VEHICLES 8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] 11.8. C1. 224/424 CA, 211/118, 248/301, 224/42.46 A [51] Int. Cl. B60r 11/00 [50] Field 01 Search 224/293, 42.45 A, 42.1 CA, 42.46 A, 42.1 C; 248/301; 21 1/ 1 18 [56] Relerences Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,550,796 5/1951 Francis 224/4245 2,526,285 10/1950 Schuyler 224/42.45

Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-Lawrence J. Oresky Attorney-Clarence M. Crews ABSTRACT: A clothes-hanging rack for motor vehicles is provided which hugs the car ceiling, and is neat, inexpensive, inconspicuous and completely out of the way when not in use. The hanger includes a tough hollow frame or housing and a series of distinct hanger-supporting fingers, normally contained, and individually retained, within the housing. Each finger is bendable under the weight of a garment hanger, and the garment carried thereby, and each has its own assigned position so that the hangers do not slide from side to side as the car rounds curves. The frame stands as an upholstery guard between the finger-supported hangers and the ceiling upholste ry, as well as a housing and support for the fingers.

carried by the hangers.

ouster-moms sscxrosmo'ros vsrircuts 1 This invention relates to a clothes-hanging'rack for motor vehicles, having for its primary object the provision of a thin rack which hugs the car ceiling so that it is completely out of the way and inconspicuous when not in use, but has the capability of supporting many hangers together with the; garments It is an important feature that the rack includes a hollow frame or housing and multiplicity of flexible individual I hanger-supporting fingers, each finger being fixed atone end and having a definitely assigned position, and each having a free end portion normally confined in the housing but in Itjis another feature that the frame hasopposed, spacedapart, intumed lips at its lower boundary, one fixedly supporting the continuous portion of the finger strip, and: the other normally supporting the tip portion of each finger individually, the arrangement being such that any fingerv can be sprung down past the finger-supporting lip into active position by dis-. 30.

placing neighboring fingers upward to afford acoessto the desired finger and then pulling the desired finger downward.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear. In the drawing forming part of this specification.

FIG. 1 is a view showing an illustrative hanger rack, which constitutes a practical and advantageous embodiment of the ing upholstery, to a transverse frame member of the car ceiling, the view being a sectional view, taken onthe line 1-1 of of a rearwardly' extending forward lip 24 and a forwardly extending rear lip 26. The frame may be provided with infolded end portions 28 or may be closed off in any other way at its ends which will present an attractive appearance.

Within the bounds of the frame there is provided a hanger strip 30 of strong, tough, resilient, bendable material, either of a suitable metal or of a suitable plastic. The strip 30 is continuous along its rear margin and provision is made for firmly and fixedly securing this rear, continuous portion in place, upon the inner surface of the rear lip 26. As shown, the rear portion is formed with 'an' upstanding continuous flange 32 which bears against the rear wall of the frame and may be held firmly in place by a continuous filler block 34. The parts are also held together by short screws 35.

The forward portion of the strip 30 is divided in individual forwardly reaching, resilient hanger rack fingers 36 which stand sideby side, but are spaced far enough from one another so tha't'no substantial rubbing or conflict will ever occur.

20 Each finger 36 is recessed to receive the hook of a garment carrier. being desirably formed with a slot 38 as shown in FIG. 3, with the slot of progressively increasing width from rear to front, and broad enough at its forward end to receive the hook portion of an individual garment hanger hook.

In the normal position, in'which all the fingers are shown in FIG. 3, the tip of each finger stands just above the lip 24, being confined by the lip. The fingers do not naturally assume this position, but under slight upward pressure each will bend, pass upward beyond the lip and then spring out to a straight condition. This is a very neat arrangement since every portion of the strip'lies within the bounds of the frame and the lower faces of the fingers are caused to stand in a common plane. Each finger can bend under the weight of the hanger carried by it and the load-carriedby the hanger as the car accelerates, turns, encounters uneven road conditions, .or is braked, but each finger has its own'definitely assigned position so that the hangers cannotslide first to one side of the car and then to the other.

For maintaining a clear view through the rear view mirror two short aligned racks may be provided, one at each side of FIG. 2, but being on too small a scale to make hatching of the the canjlf a long rack is provided, as shown, a selected central upholstery feasible;

FIG. 2 is a transverse vertic'al sectional view on a considerably larger scale than FIG. 1, the section being-taken on the line 2-2 of H6. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

no. 3 is a fragmentary inverted plan view ,of the hanger, 5

rack of FIGS. 1 and 2, on the scale of FIG. 2;.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG.'3 ofa structurein which a modified configuration of the fingers is showmand "1: 1 FIG. 5 is a view similarto- FIG. 2, showing a further modified form of rack. 2

In FIG. 1 the roof or ceiling l0 ofthe car; comprises acouve'ntional outer metallic shell -12, and a frame which includes metallic crossrnembers, one of which, designated 14,'is.shown as the foundation member to which my novel hanger rack 16 is attached by screws 18. The screws 18 are passed upward 1 through ceiling upholstery 20 and ate intoithe metallic crossmember 14. Since the use of the-sack-both asfactory I equipment on new vehicles and as accessory equipmenton exgroup of fingers may be held out of service unless and until they cannot be spared.

in FIG; 4 the structure is the same as that shown in FIG. 3 with-one'exception."Each finger 36aisrecessed to receive the hook of a garment hanger, being formed in this instance to provide hooks raflier than slots, the fingers being essentially C -shaped. This-provides more hanger'hook insertion space, and facilitates access to :a finger for pulling it down'past the lip 24awhen it isw'anted for use. Corresponding reference numeralshave been applied to corresponding parts in FIG. 4 with the postscript aadded in each instance.

'Thestructure .of FIG. -5'may be like that of FIGS. 1 to 3, w'ithfingers of the shape shown in either FIG. 3 or FIG. 4. The rack 16bit: a single integral structure composed of strong,

tough,flexible plastic, however. The fingers 36bare considerably thinner and more fiexible than the lip 26b,but they ist'ing vehicles is contemplated, the screws 18 are o stantiallyarigid'with the fingers comparatively freely bendable.

.the self-tapping variety; i.e., case hardened so that they will cut their own threads in metal when predrilled holes of appropriate size are provided. :In FIG. l irrelevant detailsconframe member 14 throughout that portion of the member .14 Y

which extends straight or nearly so, the :length .of;.the

- desirably measuring somewhatless than the -w.iiltl 1hear:ar interior, but, as show, considerably more half of the width. Alternatively, two aligned, spaced racks may be provided, each-of a length less than half the width of .interior. The top, front and rear wallsnf thezframeare continuous, but-the lower with of-the'frame isrincomplete,consisting 5 Corresponding reference characters have been applied to cor- ,respondingpartsin FIG. 55 withthe postscript b added in each instance.

[have described whatl'believe to be the best embodiments 55 nfmyinvention.

Iclaim:

1. A garment-hanging rack for' motor vehicles comprising,

incombination, e a. a thin, tough, hollow frame orhousing adapted to .be attached at the underside of the ceiling upholstery to a transverse, rigid member-of the car ceiling, and to conform to the interiorkcontour of the ceiling throughout a substantial :portionof the width thereof, saidframe having vertically disposed front-walls and backwalls and a partial lower -wall consisting of-a rear lip that extends forward from the backwall and a forward lip that extends rearward from the front wall, the lips being substantially spaced from one another; and

b. a multiplicity of bendable spring fingers, each fixedly connected at one end to one of the lips, but having an opposite free end, each spanning the space between lips and normally contained within the bounds of the housing frame, and each recessed to receive the hook portion of a conventional garment hanger;

the construction and arrangement being such that each finger has a definitely assigned position lengthwise of the rack,

and that the free end of each finger, in fully extended condition, is disposed to overlap slightly the adjacent lip of the housing, but may, by a slight bending, be pushed up past the edge of the lip to its normal, idle position, or drawn down past' the lip to an active position.

2. A garment-hanging rack for motor vehicles as set forth in claim 1 in which the front and rear walls of the housing extend uninterruptedly from end to end of the active portion of the hanger rack and positively prevent engagement of the fingersupported hanger hooks with the ceiling upholstery of the vehicle.

3. A garment hanging rack for motor vehicles as set forth in claim 1 in which the several spring fingers form integral parts of a single, resilient strip, the strip being continuous along one margin and having that margin firmly and fixedly attached to the frame lip by which it is supported.

4. A garment-hanging rack for motor vehicles as set forth in claim 3 in which each finger is spaced from its neighbors'by a small amount, adequate to prevent conflict and rubbing of the fingers. w; 5 a

5. A garment-hanging rack as set forth inclaim 4 in which the hook-receiving recess of each'fingenis-formed as a'slot capable of receiving the hook of a garment hanger through its 6. A garment-hanging rack as set ,forth inclaim 5 in which each finger slot increases in width from the slot end nearer the frame-connected end of the finger to thewopposite slot end,

whereby the finger is caused to be progressively more-freely bendable toward its free end.

7. A garment-hanging rack as set forth in claim 4 in'whicha the hook-receiving recess of each finger is formed as a side notch in the finger, the finger being essentially C shaped.

8. A garment-hanging rack as set forth in claim 1 in which the fingers are integral with the rack frame, the frame, however, having walls that are comparatively thick, and therefore comparatively rigid, and the fingers being much thinner than the rack walls so that the fingers are comparatively freely bendable. 

1. A garment-hanging rack for motor vehicles comprising, in combination, a. a thin, tough, hollow frame or housing adapted to be attached at the underside of the ceiling upholstery to a transverse, rigid member of the car ceiling, and to conform to the interior contour of the ceiling throughout a substantial portion of the width thereof, said frame having vertically disposed front walls and backwalls and a partial lower wall consisting of a rear lip that extends forward from the backwall and a forward lip that extends rearward from the front wall, the lips being substantially spaced from one another; and b. a multiplicity of bendable spring fingers, each fixedly connected at one end to one of the lips, but having an opposite free end, each spanning the space between lips and normally contained within the bounds of the housing frame, and each recessed to receive the hook portion of a conventional garment hanger; the construction and arrangement being such that each finger has a definitely assigned position lengthwise of the rack, and that the free end of each finger, in fully extended condition, is disposed to overlap slightly the adjacent lip of the housing, but may, by a slight bending, be pushed up past the edge of the lip to its normal, idle position, or drawn down past the lip to an active position.
 2. A garment-hanging rack for motor vehicles as set forth in claim 1 in which the front and rear walls of the housing extend uninterruptedly from end to end of the active portion of the hanger rack and positively prevent engagement of the finger-supported hanger hooks with the ceiling upholstery of the vehicle.
 3. A garment hanging rack for motor vehicles as set forth in claim 1 in which the several spring fingers form integral parts of a single, resilient strip, the strip being continuous along one margin and having that margin firmly and fixedly attached to the frame lip by which it is supported.
 4. A garment-hanging rack for motor vehicles as set forth in claim 3 in which each finger is spaced from its neighbors by a small amount, adequate to prevent conflict and rubbing of the fingers.
 5. A garment-hanging rack as set forth in claim 4 in which the hook-receiving recess of each finger is formed as a slot capable of receiving the hook of a garment hanger through it.
 6. A garment-hanging rack as set forth in claim 5 in which each finger slot increases in width from the slot end nearer the frame-connected end of the finger to the opposite slot end, whereby the finger is caused to be progressively more freely bendable toward its free end.
 7. A garment-hanging rack as set forth in claim 4 in which the hook-receiving recess of each finger is formed as a side notch in the finger, the finger being essentially C shaped.
 8. A garment-hanging rack as set forth in claim 1 in which the fingers are integral with the rack frame, the frame, however, having walls that are comparatively thick, and therefore comparaTively rigid, and the fingers being much thinner than the rack walls so that the fingers are comparatively freely bendable. 